There in the mass of blinding white light stood Callence, an utter glorious sight to behold. The tips of his hair turning black, the inky color drifting up the tendrils of golden just as the inky black was now spreading onto his fingertips and veins of his arms like a second skin. His throat litters with the same blackness, and his eyes find mine as rage showcases in his cobalt blue eyes— terrifyingly beautiful and promising death.

As a demon soldier launches in action quickly— his knives launching through the air and toward Callence, I suck in a sharp breath as they stop midair with one flick of his wrist, and I realize what the black must signify. His powers, the use of magic. I'd envisioned Callence to be this boyish sorcerer with a blue Mickey Mouse hat— instead there he stood, black ink leaking into his bloodstream and hair, barbaric body taking up room as he made the fighting knives whiz through the air and into the demons skull with a flick of his fingers. He didn't even have to exert a muscle. Suddenly I felt foolish for ever using the words boyish and Callence In the same sentence.

I swallow thickly as his eyes find mine again, watching as he moves to make his way toward me, claiming me with just a look.

He'd come for me— as soon as my terror had become too much and I'd desperately called for him, he'd come for me. My heart blooms as I watch his jaw clench in anger, looking at the bruises on my body, and the scathing gaze promises vengeance this very second.

Another demon who thinks himself strong enough moves to block his path, screaming a battlecry as he moves to bury a battle axe in him, but Callence is still unfazed.

His muscles in his arms become taut and flex as he shoves his hands into a man's body with a sick wet crunch, tearing him in half so quick that I barely have time to register the gruesome aspect of it all.

"This is part of his army?" He taunts, his lips flickering in the corner but no dimple appearing. It's a cold grin, and one that makes me realize that he isn't satisfied with only those people dead.

Nobody in the room moves further, as if they'd been frozen on account.

My gaze flickers around the room and I realize, they are frozen on account. Was it mine or Callence's magic? At this point, it was one in the same, and I was too emotional to even care.

He raises a broad arm and opens his palm, and like clockwork the frozen bodies all explode together. As if they were tightly pressurized cans exploding on their own accord, chunks of frozen people land everywhere like a hail storm, but I'm too enamored to move my feet.

My eyes shoot to the bejeweled sword, and I know that Kilian and mother recluse must have heard all the commotion by now, probably on their way to kill us— but I just had a feeling deep inside that Callence wouldn't let them touch me. Touch us.

He stalks toward me, gaze scanning my face and the dripping gash crossing down my collarbone and arm. His gaze darkens as he catches onto the blood dripping onto the floor, fury twisting his features for a split second.

As he reaches me I watch in fascination as he grabs a small blade attached to his hip, slicing into his wrist without ever looking away from me. I wince as I watch blood drip down his arm and he rolls up the sleeve of his button up shirt, blood getting onto it regardless.

He crouched down and murmurs something I don't quite catch, his eyes smoldering as he gently grasps my arm— allowing his blood to drip into my open wound.

"Sicilde agrum vor." He murmurs gruffly, and I watch in amazement as his blood intertwines with mine, matching dna and slowly pulling my skin together until the wound is nothing but a memory. Yet still, his hand rubs at the ghost of the wound, something akin to pain on his face.

"You came." Is all I am able to say.

His eyes snag onto the chains, he quickly breaks away the clasps and they fall with a loud echo onto the ground.

"Always." He murmurs, his golden eyes catching mine.

"I told you that I won't continue with the mate bond—" I say, breathless as he grins at me, the dimple reintroducing itself to my heart.

"Ah yes, you dumped me." He says, his eyes crinkling with a bit of humor as I laugh softly.

"Would it be considered dumping if we weren't in a relationship?" I watch Callence, watching as the dark power corrupts his skin cells and hair follicles, night on a golden canvas. The raw relief filling my chest as he makes a move to scoop me up, but hesitates as he ponders the question.

"I will always be yours— relationship or not, I belong to you." He finishes as goosebumps break out onto my skin, swallowing dryly as he licks his lips and hooks his arms underneath me, lifting me with no effort. I'm too tired to even worry about if he thinks I'm heavy or not, my head falling onto his hard chest and that feeling of home wrapping around me.

"So simply," and feminine voice drawls. "You dumped the poor royal fool before he could even show you our stallion collection." She cackles as Callence sighs. My head snaps up as I peer over his shoulder and snag onto a familiar spirited redhead with horns.

"Waren!" I grin as she walks away from the portal, hands twirling metal daggers.

"I'm so glad you're okay." I say as she bows to me cheerfully, eyes peering up at me.

"Yeah, I torpedoed Echo through a couple trees, she was never going to be a match for us, my lady." She smiles, and I can't help but feel a warmth cocoon around my heart.

"Hell yeah." I say in response as Callence hides his small smile from us.

Suddenly a cacophony of loud booms coming from below us shake the ground as my fingers dig into Callence, my heart dropping from fear.

His thumb rubs a soothing line on my thigh as he watches my reaction.

"That's our distraction. Merlin and Valdus came up with an elixir that can cause Mt. Riroco, the volcano this castle is built on top of, to erupt. So if you had any hopes to become queen of this realm, now would be the time to object." He watches me intensely as I furrow my eyebrows slowly.

"Let it burn." I say with a lethal calmness one could only possess with hatred. Waren clasps her hands excitedly as I gesture toward the sword with my head.

"That sword in the stone, grab it." I say as she immediately turns to look at it.

"Yes, my queen." She responds instantaneously as I wince.

"Please." I add in, not wanting to sound too demanding— but the urgency in my voice not quite gone.

She smiles. "Yes my—"

Callence gives her a cautious look as she falters and winces.

"Yes, Vi." She says softly, and jogs toward the bejeweled magical sword.

She tries to pull it from the stone, but her efforts are useless, causing the panic to surge in my veins.

"It's fine, I'll pocket size it." She says with a shrug. "We can figure it out later."

She says a couple foreign words akin to the ones Callence used on me a minute ago, and right before my eyes the sword in the stone shrinks to a quarter sized relic.

"Oh, and Melinda!" I say, gesturing to the tanks of magical lobsters as Waren furrows her brows at me.

"Who?" Callence asks, confusion causing him to give me an adorable glance.

"The purple lobster— I'm still figuring out a name but she's mine. Although, it would be cruel to leave them all behind." I give a sad glance to Waren as Callence eyes the lobsters quietly.

"It would be." He agrees as Waren takes the green light and preforms the same spell on the tank of lobsters.

"There's a frozen lake back home where I've seen lobsters like these, they're supposed to be endangered species." She murmurs. "The demons in this dimension are such cunts" her accent drawls as another loud boom sounds from underneath us, rattling every artifact in the room.

Callence watches the door with a dark gaze as if he wants to go out there and murder the rest of Kilian's army, and perhaps Kilian as well; but Waren speaks up before he even takes a step.

"In due time, brother. It would be against the regulations treaty." She reminds him as he clenches his jaw and looks to me, softening his gaze slightly.

"You tell me you want him dead and I'll go finish the task. Treaty be damned, the crown is uncomfortable on my head anyway." He says solemnly, his cobalt blue eyes liquid fire shooting straight into my soul with silent fury; and a small smile flickers onto my otherwise dull face.

"I just really want to get Annie home." I respond with a small smile, charmed by his dedication— even if it was a bit murderous.

"Ah yes— Lucy the crab." He remembers.

"Lobster." I cough as he gives me a grin that knows no bounds.

"The lobster." He amends humorously, beginning his walk back to the portal.

"I'll make sure to apologize for offending her."

"Make him do it right now." Waren calls from behind him. "She's shrunken, not deaf."

I stifle my laugh as Callence looks up to the heavens exasperatedly, glancing back at his sister.

"She's right." I manage to say without snorting. "Cindy Crawford can hear."

"Forgive me, Cindy Crawfish." He slips a hand from my back and places it onto his heart. "Do you think she'll forgive me?" He says seriously, staring into my eyes as I'm tempted to kiss the tip of his nose.

Wait, that's weird. Why did I just get that urge?

"Not with that face she won't!" Waren chortles from behind us again, and I can't help the laugh that escapes me.

A sudden thought sobers me before we walk through the portal, Callence noticing the change in my demeanor that instant.

"What is it?" He tenses, readying himself for a threat.

"I just— how are Merlin and Valdus getting back home?" I ask with concern as he relaxes under my touch.

"I granted them two portals, one to come and one to leave. Let's just hope they manage to make it through that second one." He says as Waren nods beside him.

"I've only known Valdus for a couple minutes, and he's kind of an idiot— but Merlin seems smart, so there's hope." She says with a lopsided smile showcasing a crooked fang; Somehow, the crooked tooth makes her look even more charming.

I relax back into Callence's hold as he watches for my approval before making the move to step through the portal.

I can only manage to say one thing as we leave behind Kilian and the castle of horrors once again, feeling like deja vu, but ultimately being changed forever.

"Cindy Crawfish, I like that. We're keeping that name." I say to him as he his lips brush the top of my head lightly, a ghost of a touch— one that causes my eyes to shut, and he steps through the blinding warm white light.

•

•

•

•

•